Improvement in fire and burglar alarms



C. SORNIN@ & A.. J. REID.y

FIRE AND Summa-ALARM.

Patented July 24, 187 7.

s. m m N im n m 6.

ATTORNEYS UNITED s'rnn'r OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE AND BURGLAR ALARNIS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 93,588, dated July 24, 1877; application filed January 2,7, 1877.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, OYBUS CORNING and AQUILA J. REID, of Lawrence, in the county of Douglas and State of Kansas, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Fire and Burglar Alarms; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figurel of the drawings is a representation of a front elevation of our fire and burglar alarm, and Fig. 2 is` a longitudinal vertical sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of our re and burglar alarm, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the same.

This invention relates to that class of burglar and fire alarms which are operated by the severance or detachment of a cord or cords extending to the exposed parts of a room or building.

The nature of said invention consists in the combination of certain tripping devices, alarm devices, and lamp-lighting devices, as

- hereinafter particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, A designates the bed-plate of our alarm apparatus,

Vwh-ich is provided with a considerable opening, a, near one end, and with several transverse slots, a1 a2 a3, at points intervening between said opening a and the other end of said plate A. To said bed-plate A are rigidly secured end standards B B1, and one or more intermediate standards, B2, which standards B B1'B2 jointly uphold a horizontal top plate or top frame, C. Standards B1 B-2 are provided with. vertical guide-slots b, each one of said standards being made broad enough to have a series of said slots. There should be one of said slotted standards Bl B2 for each transverse slot a1, a2, or a2, in said bed-plate A. Standard Bis not slotted, but may have any shape adapted to the attachments and uses hereinafter specified.

In each one of said vertical guide-slots b slides a stud or guidepin, d, on a weight, ,D, whichis suspended by a cord, D1, that runs up through one of a series of perforations, c, in top plate C, and extends to a door, window,

or other point liableto burglarious entry or to the breaking out of lire. As soon as said cord is severed by such entry or lire the said weight falls, tripping the alarm devices by its action on the following mechanism.

E designates a slide, which is provided with transverse slots eel e2, registering respectively with slots al, a2, and a3 of bed-plate A. Y Said slide E is adapted to bev moved longitudinally over the face of plate A, the bottom part of each slotted standard B1 B2 being raised or recessed sufficiently to allow said longitudinal movement. One end of said slide is provided with a small point, E', which projects over one edge of openinga when said slideE is in position to be tripped. At the same time each one of its slots partly coincides with one of those in bed-plate A. `When tripping-weight D falls,as already described, a beveled extension, D2, on the lower end thereof dropping into one of the slots of said slide, forcing the latter back, so as to withdraw point El from opening a, and to allow actuating-weight F, which ordinarily rests upon said point, to fall into said opening. The fall of said actuatingweight turns, by means of cord f, a drum, G, journaled in top frame C above said weight, and the extended shaft of said drum carries a small escapement-wheel, H, and a large spurgear wheel, I. Said escapement-wheel acts, in the usual way, on pallets J, and strikes an alarm by hammer K on bell L. Wheel I eugages with a smaller gear-wheel, M, journaled in a bracket secured to standard B, which meshes with and operates a rack, N, sliding in a horizontal longitudinal guideway, O, fixed to the sides of standards B B1 B2. To said sliding rack is attached a match-holder, I, extending horizontally at right angles therefrom. Said match, when drawn toward wheel M by the operation thereof, is rubbed against a friction-plate or frictionboard, Q, that is fixed in a suitable position by a bracket, It, having lips or flanges r fr and clampingscrew S, whereby said bracket is firmly though detachably held to guideway O. After passing beyond said friction-surface said match is presented to a lamp or other illuminator, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) and ignites the same. Thus -the first attempt at burglarious entrycauses light to be thrown upon the scene, and a continuous alarm to be sounded until the occupants. of the house are summoned to resistor expel the intruder. In case of re the action of the apparatus is the same. The alarm will not cease until the actuating-weight F has ceased its descent.

A single tripping-weight may be used instead of a series of them, with a single cord extending to all the points threatened.

Fig. 4 shows in detail a small pin, U, which may be set in the crack of a door` or Window, in such position that the opening of the same will cause said pin to be detached and' fall'.

To said pin is secured a small roller, T, over which one ot' the tripping-cords D1 passes., Thus, the raising of the window or the openin g of the doorY causesl the apparatus to operate, as herein before described. This method of attachment is not necessary, however, since other devices may be employed for the same purpose; or the end of the cord Dr may be tied across the doorway, so as to break when the door opens; or the window-sash maybe set down upon the end or said cord. Any arrangement will suffice which allowsthe apparatus to work when any of the said cords l D1 are broken or detached.

What we claim. as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ist 1. The combination of tripping-weight D, having beveled extension D2, with transversely-slotted slide E, having point E', transversely-slotted bed-plate A, and actuatingweight Fsubstantially asand forthe purpose set forth.

2. The combination of weight F, drum G,

1 gearwheels I. and M, rack N, guideway 0,

match-holder P, and friction-plate Q, substanj tially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a tire or burglar' alarm, the combination of an actuating-weight, supported by a slide, with a tripping-weight, the fall of which withdraws said slide, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we cIai-mtheabove we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two witnesses.

G'YRUS GORNING. AQUILA J. REID.

-Witnessem J. W. Moo, Geenen Fnroxnn. 

